Dome shaped and attachable lid for splash and spill prevention during mixing and transport

ABSTRACT

A splash preventative lid capable of being resistively engaged upon an upper rim of a bucket to permit mixing of viscous contents contained. The lid exhibits a three-dimensional and substantially dome shaped body with an open top and an open bottom. The bottom includes a double walled and downwardly projecting lip, and which is adapted to being resistively engaged to the upper rim associated with the container. The open top is displaced an upper, height extending, distance from the container and further defines an annular rim, permitting insertion therethrough of a mixing implement for contacting and intermixing the viscous contents. A pair of opposite and outwardly projecting load supporting platform surfaces facilitate resistive engagement of the body upon the bucket rim.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a dome shaped splash guard with a top defined mixing aperture. The splash guard is particularly capable of being secured about a rim of a bucket (ideally in the 2½ to 5 gallon range) or other larger sized container, and such as which exhibits a suitable annular projection for being engaged by an inwardly or downwardly projecting double lip associated with a rim of the splash guard. The splash guard may further include a standing platform or other suitable top facing surface permitting the application of downward force to forcibly engage the guard to the upper rim surface of the bucket or other fluid holding container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The prior art is well documented with examples of mixing devices and assemblies for assisting in the intermixing of paint, as well as other viscous/liquid materials for which it is desirable to prevent spillage and/or splashing of the contents.

Addressing the references at hand, PCT/WO02005/099536 teaches an anti-splash lid incorporating a lid having a centralized hole of sufficient diameter for permitting the insertion therethrough of a hand mixer. The central hole, according to FIG. 2 of the illustrations, exhibits a slightly upward curvature 3 and which includes provision for a central aperture 1. An underside of the lid includes a plurality of concentrically arrayed rings, these corresponding to different diameters of associated mixing implements.

Both Filias, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,203, and Green, U.S. Pat. No. 2,193,356, teach generally conical shaped splash guard attachments for use with a hand mixer. Myers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,610, teaches a removable splash guard for a hand-held food mixer exhibiting a wavy, plate-like member secured to the mixer and adapted to cover the opening of a mixing bowl. Additional examples selected from the prior art include a covering unit for an industrial food mixing device, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,469, as well as a lid splash preventer illustrated in Design 467,464.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention discloses a dome shaped splash guard with a top defined mixing aperture for facilitating the mixing of paints or other fluidic compositions held within larger sized buckets. Typically, a powered mixing implement is positioned at the end of a long drive shaft and which is in turn mounted within a chuck associated with such as a hand drill or the like.

The splash guard is particularly capable of being secured about a rim of a bucket (ideally in the 2½ to 5 gallon range) or other larger sized container, and such as which exhibits a suitable annular projection for being engaged by an inwardly or downwardly projecting double lip associated with a rim of the splash guard. An outwardly facing annular wall associated with the bucket engaging double lip may further include a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart projections, these serving to further resistively bias the lid into engagement upon the bucket or like container.

Other and additional features associated with the splash guard include a standing platform or other suitable top configured facing surface, this permitting the application of downward force to forcibly engage the guard to the upper rim surface of the bucket or other fluid holding container. An upwardly extending and annular shaped rim projection associated with the central aperture provides both structural stability as well as additional splash/spill prevention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an environmental view illustrating the attachable and splash/spill preventative lid device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lid according to FIG. 1 and illustrating the features of the top surface configured, stand-on portions, as well as the upwardly projecting rim associated with the central mixing aperture;

FIG. 3 is a rotated underside perspective view of the splash preventative lid and illustrating the feature of the plurality of circumferentially spaced apart projections associated with the double lip portion for resistively biasing the lid into engagement upon the bucket or like container;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional cutaway view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a second cross-sectional cutaway view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and again showing the feature of the double lip engaging portion forming a part of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a splash preventative lid is illustrated at 10 for securing to a bucket or other suitable container 12. As previously described, the lid 10 according to the present invention prevents spillage of viscously held contents, such as paint and the like, and may further be constructed of any suitable plasticized or other material exhibiting the necessary properties of resiliency and durability.

A powered mixing implement, see in phantom at 14 in FIG. 1, may be mounted to an end of an elongated drive shaft 16, and which is in turn mounted within a chuck 18 associated with such as a hand drill or the like operated by a user 20. As will be described, the construction of the substantially arcuate/dome shaped lid prevents overlapping or splashing of the viscous contents, i.e., paint, powderized additives and the like, during mixing of the contents held within the open bucket interior.

As is also illustrated in each of the perspective views of FIGS. 2 and 3, the lid 10 exhibits a three-dimensional, substantially arcuate or dome shaped body having an open top according to a first diameter, and such as in particular exhibited by an upwardly projecting and annular shaped projection 22. The nature of the upwardly extending projection 22 is that it adds additional depth to the lid assembly and, accordingly, provides an extra measure of splash prevention, as well as potentially a scraping edge which the immersed portions of the mixing implement 14 and shaft 16 can be abraded to remove remaining paint following removal of the implement from within the bucket 12. It is also envisioned that the configuration of the upward annular projection 22 can be modified, such as in its angle of direction relative to an axial center line passing through the lid center and in order to provide additional splash preventative features to the design.

An open bottom is defined at an opposite and lower end of the substantially dome shaped body and which typically exhibits a diameter greater than that associated with the open top 22. As further illustrated particularly in FIG. 3, the open bottom includes a double walled lip arrangement having a first outwardly facing wall 24 and a second outwardly concentrically spaced and inwardly facing wall 26.

The sizing of the lid 10 and associated spacing of the walls 24 and 26 is such that, upon being matingly aligned over the bucket rim and following a downward application of force, the lid is resistively engaged between both the outer and inner annular surfaces of the bucket 12 proximate its upper rim edge. It is further understood and envisioned that a variety of differently sized lids can be provided for accommodating different volumetric sized buckets (e.g. 1 gallon, 2½ gallon, 5 gallon, et seq.).

It is still further understood that the lid design according to the present invention can be further modified for fitting over such as paint cans or other configured fluid holding containers, these not necessarily being limited to cylindrical shaped containers. In such an instance, the open bottom associated with the lid body would necessarily exhibit any other desired polygonal shape (exhibiting any number of sides from three to infinity) for facilitating mating aligning and forcible downward installation over the container's upper rim edge.

To further assist in structurally retaining the lid in contact with surfaces of the bucket adjoining its upper rim, the outwardly facing (and inner concentric) annular wall 24 is characterized by a plurality of individual and circumferentially spaced apart projections 28 arrayed about the wall 24. Upon the double walled lip being resistively engaged over the rim, the individual projections 28 provide an additional biasing effect to hold the lid 10 in place.

The illustrated embodiment shows the ribs 28 each in vertically (height wise) extending fashion and by which the ribs each adopt a substantially ½ circular shape when viewed in cross section. The lid 10 is preferably constructed according to a suitable injection molding process, and by which the outwardly arrayed ribs 28 are integrally formed with the annular wall 24. With this in mind, it is further understood that an infinite variety of other injection molded configurations may be created for the ribs 28, and in order to provide desired biasing/resistive retaining aspects.

To assist in forcibly engaging the lid 10 onto the bucket upper rim, at least one and typically a pair of load supporting platform surfaces 30 and 32 are provided, these typically extending in first and second opposite and lateral directions relative to the center line associated with the lid body, and as is further shown at 34 in the cutaway of FIG. 5. To further assist in structurally supporting the level platform surfaces 30 and 32, they are typically integrally formed into a structurally supporting outward projecting and circumferentially extending rim 36, this extending substantially in the fashion of an annular skirt about the lower circumference of the body.

A pair of height extending and planar wall surfaces 38 and 40 are defined in the otherwise substantially arcuate/dome shaped geometry of the lid body and extend in substantially perpendicular fashion relative to lower contacting locations with the platform surfaces 30 and 32 until they merge with the otherwise arcuate and three-dimensional body of the lid, see further as referenced by merging lines 42 and 44 associated with planar (vertically extending) wall surfaces 38 and 40, respectively.

As particularly viewed from the underside perspective of FIG. 5, opposite facing surfaces of the dome shape body are reflected by recessed interior walls (see at 46 for selected platform wall surface 38 in FIG. 3 and at 47 for further selected platform wall surface 40 in FIG. 2). Furthermore, the body may include integrally formed (injection molded) web shaped braces, see at 48 and 50 and which extend between supporting underside locations of the platform surfaces 38 and 40 and outer adjoining surfaces associated with the outer 26 of the annular double wall lip. As constructed, the lid body permits a user to place both feet upon the platform support surfaces 30 and 32 (not shown), thereby allowing the user's full weight to be applied downwardly in the application of force to assist in resistively engaging the lid 10 onto the bucket rim.

Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A splash preventative lid for use with a container to permit mixing of viscous contents, comprising: a body exhibiting a three-dimensional and arcuate shape with an open top and an open bottom, said open bottom including a downwardly projecting lip adapted to being resistively engaged to an upper rim associated with an interiorly open container; said open top being displaced an upper distance from the container and further defining an annular rim, permitting insertion therethrough of a mixing implement.
 2. The lid as described in claim 1, said open bottom further comprising a double walled lip for resistively engaging both outer and inner surfaces of the container proximate its upper rim.
 3. The lid as described in claim 2, an outwardly facing annular wall associated with said double walled lip further comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart projections.
 4. The lid as described in claim 3, each of said circumferentially spaced projections further comprising a ½ circular shape in cross section.
 5. The lid as described in claim 1, further comprising a pair of load supporting platform surfaces extending in first and second opposite and lateral directions relative to a center line associated with said body.
 6. The lid as described in claim 5, said body further comprising a circumferentially outward projecting rim incorporating said platform surfaces.
 7. The lid as described in claim 5, said body further comprising a pair of height extending and planar wall surfaces extending in substantially perpendicular fashion from said platform surfaces.
 8. The lid as described in claim 5, said body further comprising web shaped braces supporting underside locations associated with said platform surfaces.
 9. The lid as described in claim 1, said body further comprising an upwardly extending and annular shaped structural projection associated with said open top.
 10. The lid as described in claim 1, said body having a specified shape and size and being constructed of a plasticized material.
 11. A splash preventative lid capable of being resistively engaged upon an upper rim of a container to permit mixing of viscous contents contained therein, said lid comprising: a substantially dome shaped body having an open top exhibiting a first diameter and an open bottom exhibiting a second greater diameter; said open bottom including a double walled and downwardly projecting lip, adapted to being resistively engaged to the upper rim associated with the container; and said open top being displaced an upper distance from the container and further defining an annular rim, permitting insertion therethrough of a mixing implement.
 12. The lid as described in claim 11, an outwardly facing annular wall associated with said double walled lip further comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart projections.
 13. The lid as described in claim 12, each of said circumferentially spaced projections further comprising a ½ circular shape in cross section.
 14. The lid as described in claim 11, further comprising a pair of load supporting platform surfaces extending in first and second opposite and lateral directions relative to a center line associated with said body.
 15. The lid as described in claim 14, said body further comprising a circumferentially outward projecting rim incorporating said platform surfaces.
 16. The lid as described in claim 14, said body further comprising a pair of height extending and planar wall surfaces extending in substantially perpendicular fashion from said platform surfaces.
 17. The lid as described in claim 14, said body further comprising web shaped braces supporting underside locations associated with said platform surfaces.
 18. The lid as described in claim 11, said body further comprising an upwardly extending and annular shaped structural projection associated with said open top.
 19. The lid as described in claim 11, said body having a specified shape and size and being constructed of a plasticized material.
 20. A splash preventative lid capable of being resistively engaged upon an upper rim of a bucket to permit mixing of viscous contents contained therein, said lid comprising: a three-dimensional and substantially dome shaped body exhibiting an open top and an open bottom; said open bottom including a double walled and downwardly projecting lip, adapted to being resistively engaged to the upper rim associated with the container; said open top being displaced an upper distance from the container and further defining an annular rim, permitting insertion therethrough of a mixing implement for contacting the viscous contents; and load supporting platform surfaces associated with said body to facilitate resistive engagement upon the bucket rim. 